Locking slide mechanisms used to mount a seat in a vehicle are well known in the art. Such mechanisms commonly include a seat-mounting slide mechanism slidably supported by an elonagted stationary rail securable to a vehicle floor. The stationary rail has vertical sides in each of which a longitudinally disposed row of lock holes are formed. A slide lock is supported by the slide mechanism and has lock pawls that extend laterally into respective lock holes to prevent the slide mechansim from sliding along the stationary rail, the lock pawls being withdrawn from the lock holes to free the slide mechanism for movement along the stationary rail.
The stationary rail is typically rectangular in cross section and has a longitudinal slot in its uppermost side. The slide mechanism includes rollers mounted on a portion thereof that extends downwardly through the slot to facilitate travel along the stationary rail. The rollers fit within the rectangular confines of the stationary rail and are guided thereby as the slide mechanism is longitudinally moved therealong.
Given the configuration just described, that is, one having slide mechanism and slide lock portions and rollers all disposed within the stationary rail, it is difficult to design a simple and adequate slide locking mechanism that will laterally insert lock pawls into lock holes located in the vertical sides of the stationary rail.
Accordingly, a locking slide mechanism was designed that typically, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a slide mechanism 3, upon which a seat (not shown) is mountable, slidably supported on rollers 2 by a stationary rail 1 securable to a vehicle floor. The stationary rail has a substantially rectangular cross section and a longitudinal slot disposed in a substantial portion of its upper side. It also has a row of lock holes 5 extending through its lower side that are longitudinally spaced therealong and downwardly into which lock pawls extending from a slide lock 4 are resiliently urged by a spring. The slide lock is supported by the slide mechanism and is slidable with respect thereto, through a guide slot 3a, to allow the lock pawls to be inserted in respective lock holes in response to the spring and to be withdrawn from the lock holes in response to an upwardly directed disengaging force applied to the slide lock.
While the previously described locking slide mechanism functions with a certain degree of efficiency, a potentially serious disadvantage attends the design according to which slide-supported lock pawls are inserted downwardly into respective stop holes located in the lower side of the stationary rail. Depending on the configuration of the seat and numerous other factors, upon being subjected to certain forces as might be received, for example, as the result of a collision, the slide mechanism might, due to a lever action of an angled seat frame, be forced upwardly away from the stationary rail and, as a direct consequence, lift the lock pawls from the stop holes, allowing the slide mechanism and the seat to slide longitudinally. The present invention, as is hereinafter more fully described, has the advantage of directing similar forces received in a collision to more securely drive the lock pawls into their respective stop holes.